How it all started…
When I was 13 years old, my dad decided that I was old enough to assist him at a wedding. He had been a professional wedding photographer for years and had wagered that I was old enough to not embarrass him. On the long drive up to Steamboat, Colorado, he told me that I was to do 3 things: stay out of everyone’s way, follow any instructions that he gave, and above all else, “Don’t drop the camera.”
He had told the client that he was bringing an assistant, but it was our little secret that I was A. 13 years old and B. This was only the 3rd wedding I had ever attending in my life, let alone as a photographer.
We got to the getting ready venue- a beautiful house on a hill over looking a picturesque Colorado view with mountains, valleys, and approaching thunderclouds. We put on all of our gear, and headed inside to the bridal suite. I could feel my palms sweat as I watched quietly in the hallway. The old wood floor creaked as my father knocked on the door to the getting ready room where the bridal party was. A woman answered the door in a white satin robe that said BRIDE.
My dad introduced us and asked her if everyone was decent enough to let him come in and take some getting ready photos. “Absolutely not,” she exclaimed. “We can’t have a man in here. That would be inappropriate. I thought that is why you told me that you were bringing a female assistant.” I tried my best to hide my utter panic as she glanced over at me.
My father smiled. “Of course. I understand. Give us a second to touch base on some things, and she’ll be right in.” The bride went back into her room and the door shut. He looked at me and took a deep breath. I said in a panicked whisper, “You’re not going to send me in there by myself are you!? I have NEVER done this before!”
“You are going to do fine. This isn’t exactly how I saw today going, but she doesn’t want me in there. At the end of the day, anything that you capture is going to be better than what I can do through a closed door. Get what you can get. It will be fine. Act professional. You’ve got this.”
That moment marked the beginning of my career as a wedding photographer. Now, nearing 30, I have had the privilege of documenting over 500 weddings. Over the course of many years, I have created a signature style that uses a blend of off camera lighting techniques as well as natural light expertise to deliver galleries that are dynamic and can be adapted to the aesthetic of a wide variety of clients.
I graduated with a B.A. in Art and Design from the University of Northern Colorado in 2017, where I continued mastering design fundamentals and, as my 13 year old self would say, “To be A REAL LIFE PROFESSIONAL ARTIST!”
I am thankful to have a supportive community of friends, family, clients, teachers, photographers, and adventure buddies alike, for without which life would be dull (and far less documented).
I am grateful to live a life making art out of people’s most beautiful moments, over and over again.